Boise State University The Arbiter: Students call for Cesar Chavez national holiday

Media Credit: KYLEE CRONRATH/THE ARBITER

For some, the name Cesar E. Chavez is unknown.

Much like other notable figures, Chavez utilized non-violence in order to improve his culture. Boise State’s Cultural Center (in collaboration with Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan, Bilingual Education, Student Programs Board and the Sociology Department) has been promoting events this week in honor of Chavez.

These organizations all sought to make Chavez’s March 31 birthday a national holiday.

This national holiday campaign is co-chaired by musician Carlos Santana and actors Martin Sheen and Edward James Olmos. They have joined civil rights and labor leaders and Los Angeles officials to launch this nationwide effort.

Forty cities across 25 states are holding events and petitioning for the cause.

Boise State students have been taking signatures to make his birthday a national holiday, and on April 1 students were on the quad offering birthday cake and explaining their cause to those who walked by.

Students signed the petition for different reasons. Some felt the issue hit close to home because of their heritage. Others had heard about the movement previously and felt it was a worthy cause.

"I support multiculturalism," student Adam Brod said. "I understand Chavez is an important figure and deserves to be recognized."

If granted by Congress the holiday will resemble Martin Luther King Day.

"It is very important for us because of our high percentage of Latinos in Idaho and the fact that we have a Cesar Chavez Lane on campus and hardly any one knows who he is or what he did," Cultural Center Director Ro Parker said.

Chavez was a human rights activist in the ’60s and ’70s who represented Latinos and worked hand-in-hand with various organizations.

"It’s really important to know what he has done for the labor force and many people who benefit from it don’t even know what he did," Parker said. "We should be able to look at it from the perspective of the people it affects."

Despite many obstacles, the people of California were the first to obtain permission for a legal holiday in the state.

Event coordinators hope now to join with California and recognize Chavez’s birthday as a national holiday.